Fluid elevator



Patented Apr. 24, 1928,

1,666,962 lPATlazrJT OFFICE.

DOUGLAS B. DENNIS AND CLAUD WILSN, 0F TAFT, CALIFORNIA.

FLUID ELEvAToB.

Application led March 9, 1926. Serial No. 93,468.

The present invention relates to improvements in fluid elevators, and has for its principal object to provide a highly novel and efficient means for raising oil or water from wells. i l v One of the important objects of the present invention is to provide a device of the `above mentioned character which may be used in either deep or shallow wells vand is further of such construction as to enable either glas, oil, or water to be used as the lifting medium.

A still further object is to provide av Huid elevator of the above mentioned character wherein the same includes a lifting pipe which is arranged within a casing in spaced relation thereto so as to provide a passage way for the lifting fluid, said lifting pipe being provided at spaced intervals with valves which are adapted to be unseated by the action of the lifting fluid entering the liftin pipe through suitable ports provided there or in the pipe, and which suction aids in raising the fluid upwardly through said further object is to provide a fluid elevator of the above mentioned character which is simple in construction, inexpensive, strong. and durable, and further well adapted to the urpose for which it is designed.

Other ol); tion will become apparent durlng the course of the following description taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawing.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application, and'in which like numerals designate like parts throughout vthe same: Y

The figure represents a central vertical 'sectional view through the device embodying our invention.

In the drawing, wherein for the purpose -of illustration is shown the preferred embodiment of our invention, the numeral 1 designates a cylindrical casing which may be of any desired length, the'lower end of which is threaded for a purpose hereinafter more fully described. Arranged within the casing 1 and preferably within the lower portion thereof is the tubular body portion 2 which forms a part of the lifting pipe. The sections of piping 3 is connected with the upper end of the tubular body portion 2 through the medium of the coupling sleeve 4 and the upper end of this section of piping may be "connected to similar sections (not jects and advantages of the invenshown), the-up er end of the section 8 being provided wlthja' nipple 5- to afford such a communication or connection with the adjacent end of a. similar section of piping.

This lifting pipe is adaptedto extend upwardly through the casing 1 and above the surface. Furthermore, the lifting pipe is of such diameter as to be spaced from the inner wall of the casing 1 whereby to provide a passage way for the lifting fluid which is employed in connection with the device and which fluid may be either air, gas, oil, or water, it being understood of course that the lifting fluid ent-ers the passages 6 at a point adjacentthe upper end of the casing and is forced downwardly around the lifting pipe under pressure. A short sect-ion of piping such as is shown at 7 has its upper end threaded on the lower end of the casing 1 and the lower portion of the tubular body 2 of the lifting pipe bore 9 and into which is threaded the upper end of the guide member 10, the major portion of which extends downwardly within the upper portion ofthe shoe 8.

The lower end of the tubular guide member 10 rests on the upper face of the cross piece 11 which forms a part of the shoe 8 in the manner clearly 'illustrated in the drawing. y

A ball valve l12 is arrangedawithin the lower portion of the tubular body portion 2 of the lifting pipe 1 and normally maintained in a seated position on the seat 13 provided therefor which seat is held in position through themedium of the upper end of the tubular guide member 10 cooperating with the annular flange 14 formed on the outer peripheral face of the seat and which flange is disposed within the enlarged bore 9 of the tubular body portion 2.

The valve 12 is supported on the upper end of the valve stem 15, the latter extending downwardly through the tubular guide 10 and also through the shoe 8, the cross member 11 being provided'with'a central that the same will be forced opening to accommodate the valve stem. The lower end of the valve stem extends through a suitable guide sleeve 16 which is arranged within the lower end of the shoe 8 and a head 17 is formed on the lower end of the stem and may be in the form yof an ad'usting nut. A collar 18 is secured on the valve stem 15 at a pointbelow the upper end thereof, and a coil spring 19 encircles the valve stem and .is disposed between the collar 18 and the upper face. of the cross member 11, this coil spring tending to normally maintain the valve 12 in its seated position.

The tubular body iortion 2 ofthe Huid lifting pipe is provi ed with suitable inlet ports 20 which affords communicationbetween the passage way 6 and the bore of the tubular body portion and as is clearly illus-' trated in the drawing, these ports are arranged at a point adjacent the valve 12, and are further disposed. angularly..- Siniilam ports 21 are provided in the upper portion of the tubular `body but these ports are disposed at a greater angle of inclination than the aforementioned port. Any number of these ports may be provided as is desired.

A ball valve 22 is normally seated in a closed position on the valve seat 23 which is similar to the valve seat 13, the valve seat 23 being secured in the upper end'of the tubular Vportion ofthe lifting pipe, and as is clearly illustrated in the drawing, the upper portion of the bore of the tubular 'body is reduced. i A cage 24 is provided for the ball valve 22 and 1s arranged within the sectional piping 3 in such a manner as to be spaced from the inner wall thereof so that the fluid which is to be raised may be discharged from the cage 24` through the opening 25 formed therein Aand enter the section piping 3 so as to enable the fluid to be further elevated out of the lifting pipe. n

The op'eration of our improved liquid elevator may be briefly stated as follows: The casing and the lifting pipe arranged therein are inserted downwardly in the well containing the oil or water which is to be V'elevatedand then the lifting fluid which may be either air, gas, oil, or water is then admitted to the passage 6 under pressure so downwardly around the Alifting pipe and will then enter the' ports 20 and 21 so asto cause sufficient Suction to be created within the tubular body portion 2 of the lifting pipe to raise the valve 12 to an open position and thus start the flow of the oil or water to be elevated inwardly -through the tubular bodyh portion and the ball valve 22 will also be :,eeeeea raised to an open position to permit the oil or water to travel upwardly through the 'lifting pipe from which it is discharged at the upper end thereof. The Vfluid under pressure is entirely depended upon for the entire pumping action and therefore theuse of a piston above the apparatus is not necessary.

After the suction ceases, the valves 12 and .the device being of such construction as to enable the same to be readily assembled or disassembled.

While we have shown the preferred embodiment of our invention, it is to be understood that minor changes in the size, shape, and arrangement of parts may be resort-ed to without departing from the spirit of the invention and :the scope of the appended claim. y

Having thus described the invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is In a check valve for a fluid elevator wherein the latter'includes a fluid lifting pipe, a shoe supported below the lower end of the lifting pipe', a cross piece arranged in the bore of a shoe,atubular guide member secured in the lower end of the lifting pipe, the lower portion of the tubular guide member extending downwardly into `the shoe and engaging said cross piece, a ball valve, a ring like seat therefor, an annular` flange on the outer' peripheral face of said seat, saidflange. being secured between the;

upper end of the tubular guide and the adjacent portion of the lifting porting the seat in the lifting pipe, a stem threaded 'at its up er end inthe bottom of the ball valve an v extending" downwardly pipe Afor supthrough the cross piece in the: shoe, a guide sleeve for the lower end of the stem and arranged in the lower portionv of' the shoe, a head 0n the lower end ofthe'stem, a collar secured on the stem at a point above the cross piece, and a retractile coil spring encircling the stem and secured at its opposite ends to the collar and the cross piece respectively for normally holding the ball valve seated in a closed position.

In testimonywhereof We allix our signatures.

DOUGLAS B. DENNIS. GLAUD WILsoN. 

